As a nation state, Italy has emerged only in 1871. Until then the country was politically divided into a large number of independant cities, provinces and islands. The currently available evidences point out to a dominant Etruscan, Greek and Roman cultural influence on today's Italians.

Yes, you're right the thread covers the expression. And I'm sure that there are lots of different versions of it too.

I'm just curious if anyone has heard something similar to the one that I grew up hearing. I'm very into languages and would like to know if this originates from a particular region, what the original saying is- if it's been altered, etc.

When I think of her disposition, I think you might be right! An example is when my cousins and I (9-10 years old) would tromp up the porch steps to see my big sister, the old lady often said her magic words. She was saying, "You stink!!!" but I think maybe in her context could be "This stinks", and it makes sense! She was quite a little complainer, so we heard it all the time. Very cute... and right on the money... Thank you, Livio. That was a fun trip down memory lane for me.

DeFilippis78 wrote:How about "chooch"? Im sure its not spelt that way. Ive heard my family call many people that when they were basically calling a person an idiot or something worse! Is it short for something?

Alicia

I'm from Northern Italy but I've heard that expression. It's used in the South and it's dialect. The spelling is "ciuccio" (pronounced: chooch' hou) and means "donkey". I think it's used to say something like idiot.

DeFilippis78 wrote:How about "chooch"? Im sure its not spelt that way. Ive heard my family call many people that when they were basically calling a person an idiot or something worse! Is it short for something?

Alicia

I never knew that was Italian! That's used a lot in my family for a bully or an overbearing person, basically.

There is one I am told basically means "I hope you burst (or bust)", it's pronounced skoose-dee-mah. Does anyone know what that is?

Thank you Peter. But the problem is that I don't even know the original spelling - or even if it's been altered over the years. I've only heard it spoken, it's not something that was written down. And my guess would be that it 'evolved' some over the generations.

I've asked many people and never found anyone yet who has even heard anything similar. Who the heck knows- maybe my people even made it up themselves!

Now that I looked at that phrase again, I recognize it. My grandpa from the province of Benevento used it all the time. The pronounciation I heard was scoose da maad. I have no idea what it meant, but it was not a compliment.